'Painting Solicitation Suspicion' Former Prosecutor Kim Sang-min Arrested... 'Bribery Allegation' Investigation Gains Momentum

[Financial News] Former Chief Prosecutor Kim Sang-min, accused of delivering a painting to Mrs. Kim Geon-hee and soliciting a nomination, has been arrested.
Seoul Central District Court Judge Park Jeong-ho, who is in charge of warrants, issued an arrest warrant for former Prosecutor Kim, who is accused of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, on the 17th. The court explained that there was a concern about evidence destruction by former Prosecutor Kim.
Former Prosecutor Kim is accused of delivering the painting 'From Point No. 800298' by artist Lee U-hwan to Mrs. Kim Geon-hee's brother-in-law, Kim Jin-woo, in 2023, soliciting a nomination for last year's general election. 
Former Prosecutor Kim appears in the 'Myung Tae-kyun Nomination Intervention Allegation'. Former Prosecutor Kim was identified as the person Mrs. Kim Geon-hee intended to nominate for a parliamentary seat before last year's general election. The main point of the allegation is that Mrs. Kim intervened to have former Prosecutor Kim run in the constituency of Gyeongnam Changwon Uichang, which was previously held by former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Young-sun.
Mr. Myung Tae-kyun claims that Mrs. Kim instructed to support former Prosecutor Kim, who suffered due to the investigation into Cho Kuk, to be elected in the constituency, and promised a ministerial or public corporation president position after the election. However, former Prosecutor Kim was cut off in the party's primary and moved to a position as a legal advisor at the National Intelligence Service in August last year. The special prosecutor's team is investigating whether there was any specific influence involved in the nomination and public office appointment process.
To investigate the allegations, the special prosecutor's team searched former Prosecutor Kim's residence on July 8 and launched a forced investigation into the National Intelligence Service on the 18th of the same month. The day before, they also searched former Prosecutor Kim's local residence. The special prosecutor's team suspects that the painting 'From Point No. 800298' by artist Lee U-hwan, found at the home of Mrs. Kim's brother-in-law's mother-in-law, originated from former Prosecutor Kim. The special prosecutor's team believes that former Prosecutor Kim attempted to obtain a nomination by delivering the painting to Mrs. Kim. They also identified Mrs. Kim as the 'recipient of the painting'.
The special prosecutor's team viewed former Prosecutor Kim as the 'giver' who delivered the painting to Mrs. Kim. They also considered him the 'recipient' in relation to the allegation that he received election vehicle rental fees from businessman Mr. Park, known as 'Johnberkim' or 'Coin King', while preparing to run in last year's general election. Mr. Park was not included in this arrest warrant application.
Former Prosecutor Kim denied this. He explained that the money used to purchase the painting was received from Mr. Kim and that he only mediated the painting, having no connection with the nomination, etc. He also argued that the painting was not directly delivered to Mrs. Kim and that he only gained trust by reporting trends to former President Yoon since his prosecutor days. The special prosecutor's team argued for the necessity of arrest using a 183-page opinion letter and 118-page presentation (PPT) materials to prove the charges.
With the successful securing of former Prosecutor Kim's custody, the special prosecutor's team plans to accelerate the investigation into the so-called 'bribery allegation'. They intend to investigate not only the route of former Prosecutor Kim's painting purchase and Mrs. Kim's direct involvement but also whether former President Yoon was aware. If it is confirmed that former President Yoon was aware and involved, it could lead to the application of the more severe charge of bribery. Since Mrs. Kim is not a public official, it is crucial to confirm the charges against former President Yoon, who is a public official.


theknight@fnnews.com Jung Kyung-soo Reporter